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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: stick · kick · roll · mark · leaves · hand · bass · fine

  1. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. We're on a ________________ here.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  18. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. kick — in football
  4. fine — all right
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. bass — low music
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. hand — in cards
  10. bass — the fish
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. mark — a trace
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. roll — on a roll
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. kick — a thrill
  18. hand — help
  19. fine — high quality
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. roll — a cake
  22. mark — a grade
  23. roll — a list
  24. bass — the instrument

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com